1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information recording apparatus which acquires and furnishes information such as news or music rapidly and includes means for detecting a reaction of a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information recording apparatus are already known which include information inputting means connected to a controller which sends out information by wireless or wired transmission, recording means for recording information inputted by way of the inputting means onto an information recording medium, means defining an outlet opening for discharging the information recording medium therethrough, and account settlement means. An exemplary one of information recording apparatus of the type just described is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Heisei 3-118690.
If the information recording apparatus is used, by setting, for example, a cassette tape available in position into the information recording apparatus and performing account settlement processing such as use time number management using coins or a card, information such as news or music can be copied by the information recording apparatus to and furnished as the cassette tape. The publication mentioned above further discloses the following process. In particular, a user will first insert a recording medium in the form of a cassette tape or the like into an inlet opening of the information recording apparatus and then insert a coin into the information recording apparatus and select a type of information on the information recording apparatus. Then, the information recording apparatus copies information onto the information recording medium in accordance with the selected type of information and then discharges the recording medium from the inlet opening which serves also as an outlet opening.
Meanwhile, as a medium for supplying music such as a popular musical piece or a quiz, broadcasting such as radio broadcasting or television broadcasting is utilized in most cases.
The process described above has no trouble when the copying rate is low such as when the information recording medium is a cassette tape. However, if it is tried to copy information onto a recording medium which employs, for example, a semiconductor memory, then furnishing of information to the recording medium can be completed at a moment. In this instance, however, if it is involved to effect settlement of accounts using a coin, a card or like means every time although such copying to the recording medium is completed at a moment, then a cumbersome operation such as insertion of a coin is required for a person who wants to obtain the information, and also much time is required. Therefore, with the conventional information recording apparatus, if many people try to obtain information, for example, at a station, the number of people who can obtain desired information in a limited period of time such as upon waiting of an electric car is limited.
Further, with the conventional information recording apparatus, the operation of the information recording apparatus for accepting and discharging a recording medium makes a bottleneck together with an information selection operation or a coin throwing in operation of each utilizer such that the utilizer occupies the information recording apparatus until after such operations of the information recording apparatus are completed. Therefore, the conventional information recording apparatus fails to supply information to many utilizers rapidly.
Further, in the conventional information recording apparatus, settlement of accounts is performed upon recording onto an information recording medium. However, it sometimes occurs that the person who has obtained information is interested in only a little part of the thus recorded information and only the part is reproduced actually. Even in this instance, since settlement of accounts has been completed upon recording of information, such a disadvantage sometimes occurs that the person who has obtained information must pay the charge for all of the information thus obtained.
Meanwhile, a broadcasting station conventionally broadcasts its programs only one-sidedly. Accordingly, with the conventional information recording apparatus, it is difficult to grasp the actual condition how the audience actually enjoys the programs or information of what musical piece is popular. Further, also in a program of, for example, a quiz, it is difficult, with the conventional information recording apparatus, to grasp a ratio of correct answers of the audience or to permit the audience to make a competition in ratio of correct answers among them.
On the other hand, also methods have conventionally been proposed wherein such information is grasped using a cable television system (CATV) having bidirectional functions. However, those methods are disadvantageous in that, since an apparatus for enjoying a program is fixedly installed indoors, it cannot be applied in order to detect a situation of the audience outdoors.
Further, generally a justified write management information updating apparatus can be managed severely. However, since an information recording (reproduction) apparatus is used by a large number of people, it is difficult to effect severe management of the apparatus. Besides, whichever one of a plurality of write management information updating apparatus is not justified, this makes a trouble in that the remaining time numbers in the other information recording (reproduction) apparatus are updated.